Born on 21 June: Ray Davies (The Kinks), subtle chronicler of British society

Born in 1944 on Muswell Hill (which more or less gave the title to a 1971 album), the singer and principal composer of The Kinks is celebrating his 81st birthday.

Like the Gallagher brothers in Oasis, brothers Ray and Dave Davies often squabbled. An outstanding melodist with a unique songwriting sense, Ray is undoubtedly one of Britain's most important songwriters. He has no equal when it comes to depicting social realities, such as ‘Dead End Street’ about the working-class neighbourhood where he was born. He is also the man behind the conceptual albums, which can be listened to like a film rather than a simple collection of choruses. Albums from the Kinks' golden age such as ‘The Village Green Preservation Society’ (1968), ‘Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire’ (1969), ‘Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround’ (1970) and of course ‘Muswell Hillbilles’ (1971) were part of the literary side of the English band's repertoire.

From the 1978 album ‘Misfits’ onwards, it was gradually Dave and his thundering guitar who took over the group. With the live album ‘One For The Road’ and a growing (but short-lived) success in the United States, the band went straight to hard rock.

Over the last few decades, Ray Davies has received a few awards (he was made a Knight Commander by Queen Elizabeth in 2014), entrusted his greatest songs to a choir (in 2009, a version of ‘Days’ will be remembered above all), dabbled in the solemnity of the great organs for the Cavendish Music Library (2024) and sent us postcards from the land of Uncle Sam with his latest proper album, aptly entitled ‘Americana’ (2017)...

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo : © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo : Ray Davies avec les Kinks sur la scène du Cirque Royal de Bruxelles (Belgique) en avril 1985